President of the National Press club. Im the former general manager of cbs radio network, now journalist in residence at university of maryland global campus and executive producer of the cal report public broadcasting series, moderated by journalist, marvin cal. We thank you for joining us today for our virtual headliner event with renowned ethologist and environmentalist, dr. Jane goodall, who will share her thoughts on the state of our world during the covid19 pandemic, the ongoing threats caused by climate change, and other topics that ultimately affect us all. Were honored to welcome dr. Goodall back to the National Press club, as she joins us virtually today from her family home in england. Dr. Goodall, welcome. Dr. Goodall well, thank you so much for inviting me, and hello to anybody whos listening or looking, or whatever. Michael there are a lot of people listening and looking virtually, so thank you. Were pleased to accept questions from our audience, especially from our journalists tuning in today. Ill ask as many as time permits. To submit a question for dr. Goodall, please email headliners press. Org. Its been 60 years since 26yearold jane goodall entered the rain forest in gombe Stream National park, in what is now tanzania, to study the lives of chimpanzees. Her observations of a chimpanzee employing a tree branch as a tool to eat termites, of the emotional lives of primates, and of the gradual destruction of their habitat have changed how humans view the natural world. Now, dr. Goodall is issuing an urgent plea for all humans to take an aggressive approach toward better stewardship of the planet. Human disrespect for animals and the environment, she told british vogue, is hastening our own destruction indeed our own destruction. Indeed, she said the covid19 pandemic is a direct result of that disrespect. Still, there is reason for hope, she says, if we get together in time to start to heal the pain humans have inflicted on the world and the window of time in which we have the opportunity to change our destructive ways is closing. Dr. Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and roots and shutes, a youthled Global Community action program, has immersed herself for decades in the life of our planet, her work in conservation has earned her the rank of dame commander of the most excellent order of the british empire, and as a United Nations messenger of peace. Her many other accolades include the french legion of honor the medal of tanzania, and a place in time magazines 100 most influential people in the world just this past year. Once again, thank you, dr. Goodall, for joining us today. Dr. Goodall thank you for inviting me. Michael we have we have lots of questions for you from our members that have already come in. Lets start with the fact that you have seen much in your life. How does the Global Pandemic that were now experiencing compare, and how in your view are we handling this . Dr. Goodall well, yes, you know, im nearly 87 now, so i have seen a lot, and the sort of situation that were witnessing now, its not exactly like world war ii, but i still remember world war ii. I grew up during those terrible days, and this is different. And in fact, world war ii was imposed upon us by a foreign nation. The pandemic is the result of all of us and the way that we have, as you said before, disrespected the environment and animals. And, you know, so what have we done . Weve destroyed environments, habitats, pushed animals in closer contact with people, given an opportunity for a pathogen, such as the covid19 virus, to jump from an animal to a person and maybe start a new disease, weve hunted them and killed them, eaten them, we have trafficked them, weve sent them from different regions or Different Countries to be sold as food, medicine, or as pets in the wildlife markets of asia, weve sold them as food, or sometimes medicine in the bush meat markets of africa. And also, there is the exotic pet trade, usually illegal, which is now a Global Business worth billions of dollars. And in all these situations, as well as in our factory farms, where animals have kept billions of them in crowded, unsanitary conditions, these are creating the environment for creating a new zoonotic disease. And unfortunately for us, covid19 is extremely contagious, and has spread around the world, and has affected every country i would say every country. Its caused so much suffering and hardship, loss of life, disruption of the economy, and then, when you think that, its and then, when you think that its the same disrespect of the natural world, the same feeling that we can have unlimited Global Economic development on a planet with finite Natural Resources. Were already, in some places, using up those finite Natural Resources faster than nature can replenish them, and it was Mahatma Gandhi who said, the planet can produce for human need, but not for human greed. So, we are we brought this Climate Crisis, which is is a far worse threat than the pandemic, what will come through the pandemic, but the Climate Crisis that climate scientists have been telling us about for years and years and years, and who has heeded them so many and who has heeded them, so many governments, so many businesses, so many citizens just want to carry on with business as usual, they dont want to change. It seems that, we, the most intellectual beings ever to walk the planet thats our biggest difference from chimps and other creatures have lost something which i like to call wisdom. We make decisions based on immediate, shortterm gain how does it help me or my next Election Campaign . Rather than, how does this affect the next generations, the next generations . Climate change and environmental destruction indeed seem like challenges and problems that can be solved through government initiatives, and were not seeing that happening, as you mentioned. Who needs to be in this fight, who else besides the government need to be in this fight . Michael well, very important are the big corporations, the big businesses, but also every single person. We can all be involved, and i think the reason that i meet so many people you know, i used to travel around the world 300 days a year until lockdown, and i met so many people, particularly young people whod lost hope and given up, and they felt helpless and hopeless, and so, you know, the most Important Message is that each one of us, we may only make a tiny difference, a tiny impact with the choices we make of what to buy, how did it harm the environment, did it cause animals suffering, is it cheap because of child slave labor or unequitable wages for people in other countries . And if we all make ethical choices, then were going to be able to contribute to mitigating climate change. Michael is it even conceivable to think that as and i hesitate to call it a Silver Lining in this very dark cloud, but as a wakeup call as a result of whats happening . That the message will resonate, the message youre delivering now will resonate perhaps with more people as a result of this devastation. This devastation we are seeing now . Dr. Goodall yes, i really think so. I mean, if you just take the pandemic, there must be hundreds of thousands of people in big cities. And because of the the shutdown, because of the lockdown, you know, there was less industrial activity and less traffic. Probably for the first time, they had the luxury of breathing what we take for granted in other places, breathing clean air, looking up at the sky at night and seeing stars twinkling brightly, instead of through a haze of pollution. They wont want to go back to the old ways, and, you know, as i go through this lockdown and do zooms and skypes and all the rest of it with people all around the world, i hear again and again and again, we must move forward out of this pandemic to create a different relationship with the natural world, a different relationship with animals, and fight for a new Green Economy where we dont fight only to accumulate vast amounts of wealth that we cant actually spend, but we try to create a different characteristic of a person who succeeded. Michael and thats a very important point, because what youre suggesting is that as people wish to return to normal, the answer does not lie in that the answer lies in creating a new normal for ourselves, right . Dr. Goodall i think that is absolutely right. And so many people are talking about that. I hear it especially a lot in europe. I have heard it from friends in asia and africa, as well. Your gintalk about Goodall Institute and its approach to these issues, particularly now. You arefinding that able to make some additional headway even in the midst of this pandemic . Jgi wasall well, created back in 1977, and theres now 24 Jane Goodall Institutes around the globe and they are all independent and share the same mission. Basically simply, it stomach the world a better place for people, animals, and the environment. And of course, theres more to it than that, but basically, that is the epic. I think one of the most important parts is our program for youth. This environmental humanitarian program that involves young people of all ages, kindergarten , university, everything in between, choosing projects that they are passionate about but that must help people, help animals, help environment. Are we making a difference . Yes, we really are. We are doing ok in the pandemic. Thepeople still support vision and still want to support our programs. And our programs keep the research on chimpanzees at gombe going. We are in our 60th anniversary year. 60 years studying the same groups of chimps, following the generations and also supporting our sanctuaries for orphan chimps orphaned by the bush meat trade or the live animal trade and supporting our roots and shoots programs. In Different Countries, there are different aspects to what they do, so some are really passionately involved in refugees, and migrants. Different in the Different Countries, although they share the mission, they have their own programs, so we are making a big difference. Michael has the internet been helpful to your cause . Dr. Goodall sorry . Michael the internet, the opportunity to reach more people more quickly, has that been helpful to your cause . Dr. Goodall i think so. I was just told yesterday that i shouldnt talk about reaching hundreds of thousands more people virtually than i did, then i would have done on the tour. I should be talking about millions of people. Average to millions of people, and you know, the benefit is, ine been able to be present more countries than if i was doing the normal tour. Look, thist, well, is an example, isnt it . I am initting in d. C. , the u. K. , people listening from wherever they are, scattered around. We couldnt have done this 20 years ago. Social media, the internet, used in the right way, is an immense benefit for humanity. Michael there is an argument over whether the internet ultimately can be made into a tower of strength or a tower of babel. We use it both ways right now. It sounds like dr. Goodall we do. Its a big danger for children. Not just the internet, but the video games. They spent so much time on little tablets and things. When i was young, there wasnt Even Television when i grew up. I was outside, i was learning about nature, i was learning about the world by listening to people. Theid have what we called wireless radio. I think there were two programs in the u. K. Today, i saw it just today, i was out with the dog. There was this little child of maybe two years old in a pram. Else in it something america, the thing you push babies in. Was on a little cell phone, and there were birds and butterflies and beautiful flowers, and i thought, oh dear, that is a very tragic aspect of this virtual world. ,ichael one of the advantages and i will say personally, my wife and i have five small grandchildren, and we watch as they are so technically proficient, but they are also again, to nature, and with the pandemic, because people have been home because they have not had access to some other things that they might be able to enjoy, theres more arely time, and people relying on their own resources. You mentioned the stars in the , and just a couple months ago, my wife and i were in an open area and looking at the they werehe sky, and clearer than we have seen them in years, just as you said, and the air was clean, and the sky was beautiful. So, its their for all of us to see and enjoy still. About gambi before. We have some questions from one of our journalists. You have spent your life watching and learning animals, particularly chimps. Have they done the same with you . What do chimps think you are . Dr. Goodall chimpanzees, i think, you know, they ran away from me for over two months. And i despaired, because i only had money for six months. Girl. A that was way back when girls didnt do that sort of thing. Depressingwas very when the chimps just took one look at me and run away. I thought, well, what am i to them . ,m a very peculiar white ape and i walk in an odd way, and my body is covered with strange bits of stuff, and im not very agile, and i cant climb in the trees, so they probably thought i was a bit pathetic, but at the same time, chimps are very conservative and they dont like new things, so they decided to run away. But thankfully, one of them, david, hes up here behind me, my favorite chimp of alltime, the first one who began to lose his fear, who demonstrated that chimps can use and make tools. That, my mentor was able to bring in the national geographic, and they sent a photographer, filmmaker, and money, so i could carry on. And the films to the story of jane and the chimps around the world. Michael thats wonderful. Talk about the evolution of that relationship with the first chimp. Was atdall well, david the top ranking or alpha male. He was a rather gentle soul, but he but a very determined one. I discovered as i got to know him and the others than he was that,riends, if i can say he was very close with the then out the mail. If they had a blood relationship, we couldnt test dna then as we can now. But david was a born leader. Not that he was the top ranking male and could impose his will, he because he was gentle and was the first one, a the youngster was scared, and the mother was not near, the youngster would run to david and he would embrace them. Other individuals chose to follow him. Even his top ranking buddy, goliath, when he was being challenged by the next alpha, he would run to david for reinsurance, as well. David was just very, very special. And because he began to lose his fear, i would come to a group and they were ready to run as usual, but if david was just sitting there calmly, i suppose they thought, well, she cant be as scary as we thought. So gradually, i got to know his Community Mates out in the forest, his friends, the rest of the community. Michael tell us about that moment when you recognized that primates used tools. Did you realize immediately how monumental that was . Dr. Goodall not really. I mean, i did know that at that time, the definition of man was from professor ozment hill osmond hill, british anthropologist, a british paleontologist. He defined us as man, the toolmaker. And so, i knew that because david was not only using grass stems to fish for termites, but picking to exam carefully removing the leaves, he was modifying a natural object, thus making a tool, so i knew that this was going to be exciting. I knew that lewis l. , paleontologist, who had me study the chimps because he thought this would help them better understand early humans, and you he would be excited, but i had read a book by a psychologist, and austrian psychologist who works for the captive colony. The captiver colony. Hed written such Amazing Things about the different personalities and how some of them could or couldnt use objects. Theycientists at the time, said, well those are not normal chimps, somehow, human intelligence has rubbed off on them. That is how arrogant science has been. Michael setting out as a young ifan, were you apprehensive, not frightened, about your safety and security initially in the bush country . Dr. Goodall no, because i had dreamed of living with wild animals and site was 10 and i fell in love with dr. To little and tarzan. There, i was out always had this feeling, this is what i am meant to be doing. My dream has come true. I will be ok. Said, you are quite stupid. There were buffaloes and leopards and chimps stronger than people. Why do you think it was ok to think that you would be all right . Well, you can say it was stupid, but i was alright. I was not attacked. I dont know if it was stupid or not. Michael you always appear so confident and calm in the films and videos that we see. What advice would you have for young women who were heading out to do field work now about both personal security and selfconfidence . Dr. Goodall first of all, i would say youve got to be absolutely sure, because thats what you want to do. Its not easy. It can be tough and challenging. You really need to be sure that that is your passion. And most of the women and men that ive met who want to do this sort of thing, they are already passionate, so the advice is, you know, be sensible if you are studying Something Like an like elephants, a couple of elephant researchers have been killed. Realize that these are wild animals, and they can be aggressive and they can be dangerous, and it is getting worse, because in so many places man is moving into their habitat and hunting them. So they are much more likely to be aggressive because they are afraid. So its a bit different from when i went out. I just had pristine it was, you know, different. Michael one of the questions that has come in, what are the few a few of the most memorable things that a primate has said to you . Dr. Goodall said . Because they dont speak to me. I havent tried to communicate with them in that way. We communicate with our orphans and the sanctuaries. Of course, chums are being taught sign language and they cant talk to you in sign language, but i think the most i dont know i was following david graybeard in the early days. I lost him. He went through a tangle of vegetation. I finally got through this tangle, he was sitting, looking back. It looked as if he was waiting for me. I dont know. I sat down near him, and there was a ripe red palm nut on the iound which chimps love, so picked it up and held it out towards him. Either it was something wrong with the nut or david had eaten enough and didnt want it, so he turned his face away. I put my hand closer and he directly in my eyes, he reached out, he took it, he dropped to come and then very gently squeezed my fingers, which is how chimpanzees reassure each other. At that moment, we communicated in a way that must have irradiated human language. And he understood my motive. Human language. And he understood my motive. It was a magical moment. I think it was that moment, looking back, that made me commit myself to trying to do what i could to ensure their survival. Michael it is quite beautiful. Thank you for sharing. We have a question about zeus. Zoos. Is there still a role for zoos today . Dr. Goodall there are plenty of zoos around the world that shouldnt be. Some animals, like elephants, dolphins, whales, should never be in a zoo. Thathe really good zoos have learned a lot since i began, all zoos were horrible, really, just about. Learning,ave been some are able to raise the money to build really good enclosures for some animals. And they have staff who are now not the keepers i first knew who were just doing a job and could not care less about the animals, but now, they have dedicated people. Have usually been through college, and they understand the animals, the animals are kept in key issue hered ive met so many people who say it was when i went to a zoo and looked an animal in the eyes that i became passionate about todlife and determine do what i could to make things better. Also, the good zoos are raising money, and that goes to conservation programs in the countries where the animals come from. And the veterinarians for out to in the zoos go those places and share the knowledge they have learned from captiveive investors ambassadors, if you like, to help wildlife survive in the wild. So yes, it is a very important role. There are good zoos. Michael thank you. Im looking away only because we are getting questions in. Our producer, lindsay underwood, questions from the viewers. Let me ask some of these. This is a question from laurie wigler. What are the primary species at risk during the covid19 pandemic . For example, guerrillas, orangutans, chimpanzees. How does this risk manifests itself manifest itself . Dr. Goodall these great apes are all susceptible to coronaviruses, influenza, for example. Theoretically, they could be infected with covid19. That is almost certain that they would be. And if it isns, devastating, as it might be, then it is bad news indeed. Far, touch wood, fingers crossed, the covid19 as far as we know hasnt affected any populations in asia or africa, but it could. So we taking on his precautions testing anybody who comes into gombe, but its tough because theres villages all around gombe, we cant test everybody, and chimpanzees, baboons also might be susceptible to covid19. They move out into the villagers, so the vervet monkeys they move back into the park. We had to do the best we can and hope and pray. Michael speaking of hoping and praying and remaining optimistic, we have a question which is a reality check from Francisco Sanchez malina. Molina. As an activist, your message is usually one of hope. But many climate scientists are saying that we have pardon me we have already passed the point of no return. Reportent living planet 2020 says that Global Wildlife populations are in freefall due ,o human overconsumption population growth, and intensive agriculture. Do you think it would be more effective for us as activists to tell it as it is and admit it is already too late . Could it be that giving people hope has been actively harmful to our cause, leading to believe ,hat catastrophe can be averted and creating a kind of complacency . Dr. Goodall well, quite honestly, if you dont believe that anything you can do can boom scenario, whats the point of praying . If you dont have hope, why bother . Lets eat, drink, and be merry like nero, fiddling while rome burns. I dont want to be like that, and there are a good number of climate scientists who do believe we have a window of time. I dont know who is right and was wrong, but i believe, first of all, we cant predict the future. Are the climate scientists getting some of the predictions wrong. We dont know whats going to happen in the future. Meteorite. Hit by a all sorts of things can happen. The important thing is for us all to get together and do our bit. Without hope, i do believe anybody is going to bother. Ive met so many people who have said to me, well, ive given up hope, no ive listened to you, and i promise you i will do my bit. Because i do believe that we can get through this. We will never get back to the atld as it was when i began gombe in 1960, please, but not not in our lifetime, but we can slow down climate change. Theres a big program to plant many trees, so important, to protect the insisting rain forests existing rain forests and forests and woodlands, and and woodlands and peatlands and and wetlands and mangroves because theyre absorbing the carbon dioxide. And then all the time, there are amazing technologies, Scientific Minds working to fight this thing and they are helping us to live in greater harmony with the natural world. Arehile these scientists working away at what they are doing, we need to be protecting the forests as a sort of shortterm hang in there. And, if we would just stop theng all this meat, difference would be huge, because these billions of farm animals billions kept in concentration camps to feed us. You know, whole environments are grain, fossilhe fuels, masses of water in such short supply and drying in some areas is used to get vegetables to animal protein. And frankly, they are all producing gas in their digestion, and that is methane. And that is a very virulent greenhouse gas. There is so much we can do as individuals. ,ets take your worst scenario whoever this person is, lets say you are right lets say there is no hope. Well, wouldnt you rather die fighting then give up . Up . Han give i would, and i will. Michael thank you very much for that. Heres a question from susan perlman. Your pioneering work in gombe did so much to extend our circle of compassion to include our cousins, the chimpanzees. What can we do now to further extend that circle of compassion pigs, cows, and other animals in factory farms . You mentioned the factory farms earlier. Dr. Goodall i think it is happening. Its because science has finally agreed that we are part of the animal kingdom. Because of science has finally changed from what they told me in 1962 that the difference between us and other animals was one of kind, and the chimps should be givens numbers, not names, and they couldnt talk about personality, mine, or emotion because those were unique to us. Gradually, chimpanzees were found to be so biologically like us, so that we share 98. 6 of all thewith them, plus, film that was produced by my , hugo van laarik, showing how amazing chimps are once you change the mindset from saying, we humans are different, it is a difference of kindness and unbridgeable chasm between us and them, once you bridge that with the chimp then what about all the others . Now, there is a flurry of research on animal intellect. Personality and emotion, by the way. The intellect, so we are learning that takes are as intelligent as dogs, and anybody listening, if you want to see a really fun example of this, look up not picasso on your on your internet, but look up pig casso and youll get a kick out of that. Anyway, pigs are amazingly intelligent, and all of these other animals cows, chickens, they are all sentiment and have feelings, they can feel fear and pain. And now we are learning about the amazing intelligence of birds, the tasks that crows can do. Sometimes, they can do it better than any 8yearold child. Octopus,ligence of unbelievable. All the time, we are learning, and im just waiting for the day when somebody hears that a bumblebee has been trained to roll a little ball and drop it in a hole to get a nectar reward and waiting for the day when somebody says well why not rather than ah thats amazing, we shouldnt be amazed, we should learn to take it for granted that we are not that special after all. Michael thats wonderful. I look forward to looking up pig casso after after our our after our interview. We have a question. You obviously have millions of followers. There are plenty of people who understand difficulties we are experiencing, and there are many people who are optimistic, as you are, and would rather go thanfighting then just just stop. Why would someone then say, in indiana, the united states, be concerned about faraway problems like deforestation in the congo basin . How does it affect them . Think forl well, i one thing, they are affected by the pandemic. And that has caused precisely by the kind of thing you know, the disrespect of the environment in faraway places. And the disrespect of animals in faraway places. Situationow the exact of, you said iowa, in the middle of the state michael indiana, iowa, anywhere in the country the middle of the country. Dr. Goodall they are experiencing long periods of heat and drought, and that is all caused by the destruction of rainforests in brazil and africa what people have to understand is, it is all linked together, and we cant separate one piece from another. And we cant solve one problem without trying to solve them all. Michael we have a question from a former National Press club gil klein. Could you talk about the impact of the endangered species act and and his question is how many species do you think that would have become extinct without the endangered species act . Dr. Goodall well, i personally think the endangered species act has saved many animals from extinction. I could not begin to give a number. That is not my thing. But i think there is new legislation that is being act. Sed to defang this its terrifying, because we are already in the midst of the sixth great extinction. Many animals are highly endangered. They need more protection, not less. I think the endangered species act has done a fantastic job it job. It needs supporting and expanding, if anything. Michael ok. Thank you. This is from the former chair of our board of governors ken mellgren. Since were now in the age of dna research, is this breakthrough science being utilized in the study of our closest ribbin living relatives closest living relatives . Dr. Goodall we use dna analysis to very good